Las Rocas Playa Hotel

we stayed at Las Rocas for 4 nights, it’s location to Bilbao Port is great, only 25 minutes drive away. we used the local direct bus to Bilbao a couple days, only 3 Euro each way. parking is good at Las Rocas, we parked outside for free. Beds were comfortable, room was a good size, a little dated, but ok. Breakfast was ok, oats, some fresh fruit, yogurt plus the obligatory ham, cheese etc. It’s located nicely in Castro, close to the beech and promenade.

it is a little dated, could be a little noisy, you can here toilets flush etc. The hotel hosted a wedding reception on the Saturday of our stay, the revellers argued out in the street until very late hours, not ideal for other guests.

We have been to this hotel several times over the last 7 or 8 years. The room we had this time was the best yet. The bathroom was an upgrade on the ones we've had before, The aircon was effective once I got the hang of the controller. Beds were very comfortable. Slept like a log. I think the rooms may all be having an upgrade. The room looked out over to the beach. The food in the restaurant was really good. We went into the restaurant rather than the bistro and were served so well. Very good selection for breakfast. Staff very accommodating about my assistance dog. Very handy for the beach where dogs can run Sept to Easter. Parking nearby and street parking charges are very reasonable. We use hotel when getting a ferry from Santander and feel relaxed for the ferry journey or in the other direction for onward drive.

Choice of desert was very limited. As you come to a corridor it seems very dark and the lights come on as you walk along but could be quicker as it can feel rather gloomy. I imagine it could be a little cheaper but being in a great location by the beach, I guess I shouldn't complain.

Now in Castro Urdiales a quite wonderful resort on the north coast between Santander and Bilbao. Booked this place purely because its near to where we get on the ferry, and I suppose i must have read a bit about it! Having been here for a couple of hours we have had a fantastic lunch / dinner of sea bass (Lubino) with fried sliced potatoes my Mum would have called Smacks. And had a skimming look around realising it has quite a history. Our Hotel is a 4 star place and we have a small but well appointed bedroom with a balcony and a sea view, and the weather is very good and warm. People are swimming in the sea, its 24 degrees in late October, fantastic!

Nothing at all

Excellent welcome on arrival. They made us feel very welcome and even went with us to the parking to make sure our car would fit with the roof box on! The room was amazing, a good size and with a beautiful sea view. Very clean and with everything we needed, including an iron, which was very useful after 2 weeks camping! The bed was very comfortable and the air conditioning was much needed. Breakfast was amazing! Everything you could possibly want and more, even churros and doughnuts if you wanted them. A good choice of coffees and teas and juices. We chose to eat in the restaurant on the first night, the room was lovely but there was no background music and few pupil eating so it felt a bit awkward. The waiters did not seem to speak much English and our Spanish is limited so they appeared to ignore us in favour of Spanish guests. We had to wait a long time for our plates to be cleared. the food and the wine though was excellent. The 2nd night we ate in the bar which was much more lively and served tapas dishes. Unfortunately we asked for the dessert menu which never materialised and by the time the waiter remembered we really had gone past eating. The hotel is a stones throw from a lovely beach and the nearby town, Well worth a wander to the old part at the far end of the harbour. Despite this we would certainly return again and indeed have already booked for next year.

Waiter service could have quicker and more attentive.

The hotel was excellent for my husband who has limited mobility, we were able to access the hotel (ramps ect) with ease, also managed to get the mobility scooter in the lift to room when needed. The room was very comfortable and the view was great of the beach

The reception was poor, eye contact and acknowledgment would go a long way. However this cannot be said about all the staff. The wait for checking a key was 20min.

This was a superb hotel. The location was ideal - in an upmarket residential road within sight of a beautiful beach and coastline. The Manager was helpful, and the staff friendly. With cafe and restaurant facilities, food was good, breakfast ample, with promotion of local Cantabrian dishes. And everwhere spotless and well maintained.

The fact that everyone in the town seems to have a dog & take it for pavement walks with obvious consequences. (The streets seem to be cleaned daily, however, and it is a proud town)

Very clean and modern hotel near the beach. Room was well equipped and light. Breakfast was very good and reasonably priced. The whole place is very attractive.

The staff were not massively welcoming. A simple courtesy would be to stand up and come to the counter to speak to guests. Unless they are still afraid of catching COVID? The parking is great to have but at 14 euros a day, quite expensive.

Fantastic location, friendly staff, spotless hotel, modern bedroom and bathroom. Lovely view of the beach which was 2 minutes walk.

We had dinner in the restaurant and invited a friend. The food was awful for all 3 of us. It's a 4-star hotel so I couldn't believe the lack of effort in the preparation and was so disappointed. Worst meals on the camino.

Reception staff were very good providing a warm welcome and necessary information. Very convenient location with secure parking ( the car park has much improved since our last visit) Good breakfast

Service in the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant was very quiet so no great demands on the staff. The experienced waiter had trouble remembering what we ordered. Also there was a trainee waiter who was very accommodating. The trainer took quite some time explaining things to him whilst we waited to be served.

Very secure parking. Great view of the ocean from a large, comfortable room. Breakfast was good although a greater choice of breakfast cereals and fruit juices should be offered to add variety for our three day stay. Did not have dinner at the hotel having discovered really good restaurants in town.

Minor comment: The layout of the breakfast room did not make it easy to select what you want. Spent a lot of time hunting for items.